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Steven Universe came back this week with one of its all-too-infrequent mini-arcs of story, in this case playing out the fallout of the revelation that Rose Quartz – Leader of the Rebellion, and Pink Diamond – Colonial overlord, were actually the same person.

It is a revelation that has been set up since early days, and one that makes sense story-wise, but it is one I dreaded for one reason, and that reason is Pearl.

For those who don’t follow the show, in the universe of the story, Pearls are slaves built for pleasure and service for the high-ranking members of Gem society. The fact that there was a Pearl among the rebel gems on Earth was a source of terror and fascination among the homeworld gems. (“The Terrible, Renegade Pearl.”)

Pearl loved the leader of the rebellion, Rose Quartz. I had always hoped that the backstory was that Pearl had broken her programming, somehow deciding that Rose was more worthy of her devotion than the Gems she had been programmed for. The revelation that Rose was Pink Diamond, and that the Pearl we know was Pink’s assigned Pearl, meant that Pearl had always been programmed/assigned to serve and love Pink, and just followed that on to Rose. She never rebelled, she never broke the rules, she was just a pawn.

To me this was a massive misstep, making Pearl’s story of complicated rebellion into naught.

This week they tried to deal with the fallout of that decision. The theme of the week was clearly that of moving forward, growing out of the shadow of the past and forging a new path. I respect this, indeed I think it is necessary and beautiful, but it still leaves some uncomfortable aftermath to pick through. They did an entire episode dealing with what Rose/Pink was actually thinking, and whether the rebellion was nothing but a game to her, and while I respect that approach, I’m not sure it was enough.

(Note to everyone, the week overall was delightful, with Garnet’s reunion handled wonderfully, and while I don’t think the storyboarders on Steven Universe can handle epic fights at the level of something like the old Justice League cartoon, there were moments of absolute brilliance in the final showdown. My heart to Lapis forever.)

In the Now We’re Only Falling Apart, we go back through Pearl’s memories of Rose’s rebellion, and learn that she really did try everything she could to change the system from within. Rose never realized the consequences of what the choices she made, she chose what made sense to her at the time. And within this we realize that Pearl’s desperate desire to please Rose resulted in Pearl encouraging Rose’s more radical side, understanding that would make Rose happiest. And it becomes clear that Rose loved Pearl most when Pearl was suggesting things beyond what Rose would ever think for herself. The more Pearl self-actualized, the more Rose loved her. This helps, but I don’t know if it is enough. Rose still controlled Pearl, commanded her to hold her secrets (and even then kept more secrets from her). Was Pearl ever free to love for herself? Did she ever have a choice in the matter? And did Rose/Pink ever really love her as an individual, and not as her most cherished pet?

The very ambiguity helps, in that at least they didn’t double down on Pearl as trapped servant. I get that Rose’s ambiguity is part of the point (she is legend and hero, but turns out to be fallible and with feet of clay), and so even the great love that freed PEarl is tainted, but it rankles. I hope that the Steven’s encouragement to Pearl’s soul in the big fight against the Diamonds (reminding her she isn’t just fighting for Rose or Steven, but for herself) is a sign that the intention is to move Pearl forward. But it still feels like the deep subversion Pearl represented – a gem model fabricated to be nothing but decorative and pleasing, who found a way to become more than anyone suspected – an engineer and warrior – has been blunted, because she was just ordered to be more by her master. They haven’t really defused that, and I’m not sure I can forgive them for it.

Perhaps we will find Pearl realizing that she re-invented herself not as orders from Rose, but by finding ways to serve beyond what was ordered, and that means she can always choose a cause beyond what she was given and surpass herself. I’d like to think so, because this show has been so wonderful about the idea the way you are special isn’t tied to what people expect of you. To have so much of it fall back now on “Rose was one of the elite in the first place, and Pearl never rebelled” seems a betrayal the themes.

It really has felt that the last week was a reset… a chance for everyone to try and emerge from the shadows of the past, and embrace the ideals and not the lies. We will see how it spins out. But I think I will always lament the lost chance of a Pearl who redefined herself. There may be a way to thread the needle to show she did redefine herself without noticing, but the burden of proof is much higher than it was before this reveal. Rose may have thought she loved her, but Rose never did give up her power over Pearl, and I’m not sure I can ever forgive her for that.

About Me

Stories are important. They are how we organize the world. They are a fundamental part of being human.

This site is for my stories; ones told in pictures, in performance, in prose; and for thoughts about stories in general, whether mine or someone else's.